tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065897.post6392496661060938235..comments2023-05-16T05:18:57.564-04:00Comments on Live at the Heartbreak Lounge: My Favorite Neo-Noir: Michael Mann's THIEF (Part Two)Wallace Strobyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18106537140783513253noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065897.post-86091185936098709812022-02-20T08:46:39.812-05:002022-02-20T08:46:39.812-05:00Thank you for the in depth look at one of my favor...Thank you for the in depth look at one of my favorite films. Thomas Pluckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17008022962076648740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065897.post-10419478639877044192018-05-12T13:56:14.175-04:002018-05-12T13:56:14.175-04:00I spoke with the former U.S. Attorney who prosecut...I spoke with the former U.S. Attorney who prosecuted - and eventually turned – Hohimer, and who wrote the introduction to THE HOME INVADERS. He stayed in touch with Hohimer on-and-off until Hohimer's death. He had never heard of Seybold. I also spoke with someone who'd been involved with securing the original manuscript of the book, and who'd later been contacted by Seybold, who was pitching a sequel. He felt Seybold had been attempting to take credit for the original book, and speculated that Hohimer and Seybold may have known each other at some point (he said Seybold also made the unlikely claim he had an ongoing creative partnership with Caan). Another researcher I was in contact with looked up Seybold's records, and established he was in prison during the entire time of the events of HOME INVADERS.Wallace Strobyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18106537140783513253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065897.post-41324858744211596582018-05-12T13:09:45.499-04:002018-05-12T13:09:45.499-04:00What sources confirm that John and Frank are diffe...What sources confirm that John and Frank are different people? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02062880393831837925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26065897.post-56769078578477228772015-11-23T19:38:26.601-05:002015-11-23T19:38:26.601-05:00Thanks for this well written piece on an under loo...Thanks for this well written piece on an under looked classic! I'd also maintain Thief fits into the confines of a Gangster picture, actually to date, the best film about the workings of the Chicago 'Outfit'. The character Leo, as Mann has stated, was not only modeled on Rugendorf but also Wiseguy 'Milwaukee' Phil Alderesio. In addition, Santucci and most of the high line Thiefs' Mann based his film on, aside from the book as you mention, were all from the Italian 'Outfit' neighborhood known as The Patch. <br /><br />In many ways, though not on first look, Thief is a great companion piece to Sydney Lumet's 'Prince of the City' which also came out in 1981. Much like Caan's Frank, Treat William's Danny Ciello (based on NYC detective Robert Leucci) is trying the fight the corrupt system that makes the 'rules' by which the 'game' of organized crime is played. As the Chicago PD says repeatedly, in the form of Sgt. Urizzi to Frank, "Don't you know you gotta come up? Your part goes with the territory!" Or when Chuck Adamson's character says, "Do I have to ask you to dance, or what?" "What's with this guy?" Even judges are in on the fun, through intricate hand signals Frank's attorney is able to negotiate his mentor's release from Prison for 6 'dimes'...<br /><br />In the case of Prince of the City, Ciello's one of those crooked cops taking drug money, but tired of cops just the focus of IA, he wants to take down crooked judges and attorneys like Joel Blomberg. But, like Frank, despite his attempts to go against the 'way things are done' Ciello realizes all too late even if he wins, he still loses as the last scene of POTC makes all too clear. As a matter of fact, one character in POTC, a relative of Ciello's who's a member of the Columbo family says to him, "Danny, if they caught you doing something don't you know you can come to us?" The clear implication is that the Wiseguys have more control over the NYPD than the City Officials. The themes in both films, and Mann's work in general, is that the Criminal Crews and the Cops who chase them are two sides of the same coin. Anyhow, great film, thanks for the reminder. Joseph F. Alexandrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01575588920842924228noreply@blogger.com